blog action day, the power of WE can save a culture

This power is YOU, me and my daughter! We need your help …. uhhh …. BIGTIME!

Sparkle is that lovely girl–all of 11 years old–on the left. She loves rainbows, frogs, fairies, singing and speaking up and out for the underdog. As part of her Girl Scout Bronze Award, she advocated for a group of people she’s never met before: the Lapita Navigators of Micronesia. She admires them and wants to help them because they live closely aligned with nature and have a deep respect for the Earth. She was advocating for them because their lives are in danger and their culture may become extinct due to rising sea levels.

Also pictured above is MOI–yes, me, Becky–I’m Sparkle’s painfully idealistic mama. More than anything right now, I want to show my caring daughter that passion and belief in something can change the world, no matter how young (or old) we are. I want her to know that people–some we know and beautiful strangers–will get involved and support other humans who are in trouble, simply because it is the right thing to do. I want her to believe that causes and passionate people do not need GOBS of money to make wonderful things happen.

Her award work is long over, and while she thrice exceeded her goal of 100 petition signatures, she and I both cannot get these people and their daunting situation out of our heads or hearts. We will not forget or give up until we hear that help is on its way–which may take 25—- ummm, THOUSAND signatures. gulp. (300 down, lots to go!)

Sparkle watched activist and documentary maker Steve Goodall’s beautiful film Someplace With a Mountain and decided to create a campaign to try to help the people featured in the film. Here’s the 2-min trailer….

In a nutshell, Steve’s film documents the exceptional culture and plight of the Lapita Navigators of Micronesia. (4,000 people living in undeveloped islands in the Pacific Ocean way way West of Hawaii.) These gentle people are at risk of becoming extinct (can a people become extinct? well in my daughter’s eyes, yes). The Navigators are rapidly losing land space due to the rising sea levels and they often do not have safe drinking water. They have no way to get to higher ground, not unless someone or some organization or some government helps with relocation. (See NOAA chart below: That bit in purple is where they are. Purple = bad news.)

After Sparkle finished her award, Steve sent her a beautiful hand-woven rug made by Lapita Navigator Rapwi (well actually his wife made it), intended to be delivered to President Obama. Here is Master Rapwi’s plea for help from the President:

And now, here is my plea to you: PLEASE please please please PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE show Sparkle that passion and people can change the world. Sign the petition.

Then share the story and link with EVERYONE you can think of! Help this campaign go viral. We started a Facebook page where we will provide updates. We are working closely with Steve Goodall to help save the Lapita Navigators and to help Save a Culture! These beautiful people need all the ideas and support and shares and signatures and pins and tweets we can get.

Join us on Facebook and Like Like Like and Share Share Share, and help us get 25 gulp …. yes 25 THOUSAND signatures. (We’ll keep you updated on the FACEBOOK page.)

Dear Becky, I am the executive editor of an environmental website http://www.ecology.com. We have published several pieces by Steve Goodall about “Someplace with a Mountain”. Steve sent me an email about your daughter’s wonderful work, and sent me the link to your blog, when I asked if he could connect me with you and Sparkle. I would very much like to write an article about Sparkle’s initiative for our Ecology Kids content block, in our Kid Power section: http://www.ecology.com/ecology-kids/kid-power/

With your permission, I would write the article based on your blog post and any further information you and Sparkle would be willing to share. I’d love to have a photo of her for the article, if possible. A quote from her would also be just great. OR – if Sparkle would be interested in writing a piece herself, about her quest, that would be just perfect.

I congratulate you on raising a socially and environmentally conscious daughter! They are the hope of our world.

seek and ye shall kind (search)

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